Sania ‘outsider’ issue reaches flashpoint

July 25, 2014 5:46 pm

Agencies, Hyderabad
Tennis star Sania Mirza, who is no stranger to controversies, has landed up in yet another, which a majority of the locals feel smacks of political opportunism and she has nothing to do with it.

Within 48 hours after she was named as the Brand Ambassador for Telangana, it has become a nation-wide debate after BJP Legislator, Dr K Laxman, questioned her being the face of the State ‘when she was the daughter-in-law of Pakistan.’

Even as celebrities and people from all walks of life are coming in her defence and taking pot shots at the ‘outsider’ tag, the world number five woman doubles player has tweeted her anguish in appropriate terms:” And much much more love..nobody in this world is perfect and never will be..but judging people and hating is the worst thing in the world-I pray for people who cannot be happy for others and who cannot let go of the pain and hatred inside them.. May Allah bless u all.”

Incidentally, Former Union Minister Renuka Choudhry lambasted Dr Laxman and said Sania was the daughter of India, a sentiment that was echoed more vocally by former athlete Ashwini Nachappa who contended that the tennis star was honoured with the highest of national awards and deserved every bit of coveted positions like the one extended by Telangana Government.

Veteran Congress Leader V Hanumanth Rao wondered how a player who never spoke about Telangana was being decorated with such an honor when the government could have chosen someone like Mohd Azharuddin who was typically Telanganiite” and had accomplished much more than Sania even if the government pressed with its 1956 cut-off period.